Alternative Names

How the Test is Performed

You will be asked to cough before the test begins and then tilt your head back. A sterile cotton-tipped swab is gently passed through a nostril and into the nasopharynx. This is the part of the pharynx that covers the roof of the mouth. The swab is quickly rotated and removed. The sample is sent to a laboratory. There, it is placed in a special dish (culture). It is then watched to see if bacteria or other disease-causing organisms grow.

Why the Test is Performed

The culture may be used to help determine which antibiotic is appropriate to treat an infection due to bacteria.

Normal Results

The presence of organisms commonly found in the nasopharynx is normal.

What Abnormal Results Mean

The presence of any disease-causing virus, bacteria, or fungus means these organisms may be causing your infection.

Sometimes organisms like Staphylococcus aureus can be present without causing disease. This test can help identify resistant strains of this organism (methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, or MRSA) so that patients can be isolated when necessary.